The Tampa Bay Rays may have gotten one big offseason decision out of the way, but the rotation picture still has a major hole in it.
The club recently picked up the option on Drew Rasmussen, and the move came with a clear message: Tampa Bay wants him to be the anchor of the 2027 rotation. That’s a notable shift, especially since Rasmussen would have been viewed as a prime trade chip in the past. Even now, his future will be something people keep an eye on, but the early signs point to him being in place for Opening Day.
That matters because the Rays still have more work to do on the pitching side, and one of their biggest names is drawing a tough free-agent prediction. Tim Kelly of Bleacher Report recently projected that Freddy Peralta would leave Tampa Bay and sign a three-year, $73 million deal with the Chicago Cubs.
Peralta’s path to this point has been a strange one. He opened the season with the New York Mets and was not close to the pitcher they thought they were getting.
After being one of the best arms in the National League with the Milwaukee Brewers in 2025, he entered the year with the look of a potential ace for New York. That never really came together, and the Mets eventually dealt him to the Rays at the trade deadline.
For Tampa Bay, that trade paid off in a big way. Peralta turned his season around almost immediately after arriving, and the rebound should set him up for a strong payday.
He’s coming off a big second half with the Rays and, by some measures, an even better postseason. That kind of finish could make him the second-best pitcher on the market behind Tarik Skubal.
The catch for Tampa Bay is the price. Peralta is projected to land at more than $20 million per year, which makes a return feel unlikely. The Rays would love to keep him, but the numbers may not line up.
And if Peralta walks along with Nick Martinez, Tampa Bay would be staring at the loss of two important arms and a lot of production that has to be replaced.
In Other News...
Cubs Prospect May Be Forcing A Faster Timeline Than Expected
Josiah Hartshorns rise in the Cubs system has started to look less like a long-term project and more like a player pushing on the door. The top prospect was named the 2026 Rawlings Minor League Gold Glove winner at first base, a notable step for someone who spent time moving around the diamond in the minors before settling in and showing he can handle the position. Add in a strong offensive finish at Double-A in 2026, and it is easy to see why he has become one of the more intriguing names in the organization.
For the Cubs, the question is no longer just how good Hartshorn can be, but how soon he might fit into the picture. There is already speculation that his MLB debut could come as early as 2027, depending on how the roster shapes up and how other players perform ahead of him. For a club always balancing present needs with future upside, Hartshorns progress is the kind of development that can quietly alter the timeline faster than expected. [Read more 🡒]
Cubs Are Giving One Bullpen Arm Another Shot To Break Through
After spending the 2026 season with Triple-A Iowa, Gabe Klobosits is getting another look from the Cubs. The right-hander has re-signed on a minor league deal, keeping him in the organization after a year in which he put up a 3.51 ERA and continued to show the kind of arm strength that can make a reliever interesting, with his fastball reaching 98.5 mph.
For Chicago, it is another low-risk bet on a pitcher who has yet to break through to the majors but remains on the radar as a bullpen possibility for 2027. Klobosits never got the call last season, yet the Cubs are clearly willing to give him more runway and see whether the stuff translates into a real big league role down the line. [Read more 🡒]
Cubs Face A Catching Decision That Could Shape Next Season
The Cubs are weighing a familiar winter question behind the plate, and it could have ripple effects well beyond Opening Day. Carson Kelly has emerged as the preferred option because of what he brings offensively and because he already knows the staff and the clubhouse, but free agency always forces a team to balance comfort against cost.
Austin Hedges sits there as the more economical alternative, the kind of veteran stopgap a club can use while it waits on a younger catcher to mature. The defensive gap between the two is not expected to be large, which is why this decision may come down to how much the Cubs want to invest now versus how quickly they believe Owen Ayers can become part of the picture. [Read more 🡒]